Fifth Avenue traffic plan set for approval (From York Press)

Fifth Avenue traffic plan set for approval

9:24am Thursday 19th July 2012 in News By Mike Laycock, Chief reporter

Simon Moss, chairman of Tang Hall Residents Association, who is unhappy about traffic plans for Derwenthorpe

EXTRA vehicles look set to be allowed along a York street to reach a major housing development despite residents’ objections.

Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust wants to be abe to increase the amount of traffic going to and from the 540-home Derwenthorpe site through Fifth Avenue, Tang Hall , and City of York Council planning officers are recommending approval for their bid.

Officers say the road is relatively wide with grassed verges and houses set back behind front gardens, and the proposed extra traffic along the road is unlikely to lead to an adverse impact on residents’ day-to-day living conditions.

“The impact on noise and disturbance is unlikely to cause significant additional harm to the living conditions of existing residents so as to warrant refusal,” says a report to a planning committee meeting next week.

The Press has reported previously how the trust wants Fifth Avenue to be used for vehicles going to and from 277 properties, instead of 185 homes, as was originally proposed. But it will also reduce the number of homes reached through Osbaldwick Village from 105 to 64, and the number reached through the Meadlands estate from 125 dwellings to 74.

The Tang Hall Residents Association has opposed the changes, claiming the area was being made a “scapegoat” and the report to councillors says eight letters of objection have been received from Fifth Avenue residents.

They claimed the road already has traffic problems and the proposal would overburden it to appease Osbaldwick and Meadlands residents.

They said it was unfair for local residents to bear the brunt of traffic from Derwenthorpe, and also raised concerns about poor visibility at the Fifth Avenue/Tang Hall Lane junction.

Officers said an accident analysis of the past five years had shown there had been five accidents in Fifth Avenue, four of which occurred at the junction with Tang Hall Lane.

“The accident data does not identify any pattern nor indicate any specific type of accident which there would be the increased risk of potential for, should traffic levels increase as proposed,” they said, adding that existing traffic calming would further improve safety and reduce the potential for speeding.